What was lost
by Sonya-Heather-DeVito
Summary: When Harriet learns what her Boggart actually means, she is left heartbroken. Canon Divergence. Female Harry/Tom Riddle. Set during events of POA.


_A/N: Genderbent fic. Female Harry Potter. Written during the events of Prisoner of Azkaban. __Written for the Houses Competition; IWSC; Hogwarts (Challenges and Assignments). I do not won Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!_

_A/N 2: In the story Harriet's Boggart is able to converse with her in Parseltongue, because Boggart morphs into someone's greatest fears and it knows what the person is hiding as their secret. So, it would know that Parseltongue is something she doesn't use often because of the language's 'evil' reputation. __**"Bold and Italics" is conversation in Parseltongue.**_

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_House: Ravenclaw_

_Year: Prefect_

_Category: Standard_

_Prompt(s): __[Time Period] Golden Era (The Houses Competition)_

_Additional Requirement: No repetition of prompts between players._

_Word Count: 1989 (As of Google docs)_

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_School: Ilvermorny_

_Year : 5_

_Prompt: [Character] Lord Voldemort (Main)_

_Theme: Boggart_

_Word Count: 1989 __(As of Google docs)_

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There was a slight knock on his office door that made Remus stop in his work of grading the assignments. He cast a quick _Tempus_ and frowned when the clock showed five in the evening. He wasn't expecting anyone, and it couldn't be Severus either because the full moon was yet to arrive, so the Potions master wouldn't be delivering Wolfsbane Potion this early. Who could be knocking at his office door this late in the evening then?

There was another knock, but this time it was faint as if the person on the other end was contemplating their decision of coming here in the first place.

Quickly moving from his seat, he reached the door and opened it wide. He was all the more surprised to see Harriet, of all people, standing there awkwardly. She stood with a hesitant and worried look upon her face.

"Good evening, Miss Potter. What can I do for you?" He asked with a polite smile.

"Professor, may I come in?" she whispered. He could sense that it was something related to the Defense class earlier that day. Remus had decided to teach the third year Gryffindors and Slytherins about Boggarts - the amortal shape-shifting creatures. Everything had been going well; every student had faced their fear and used the counter curse - the Riddikulus Charm - brilliantly.

Everything was good_ until_ Harriet's turn, wherein her Boggart had morphed into someone she clearly hadn't been expecting, and then left the class rather abruptly.

"Of course, please come in," he said as he moved to the side allowing her to enter. Harriet took a seat on the desk, across from him, and waited.

"Would you like some tea, Miss Potter?" Professor Lupin asked sensing how uncomfortable and out of place she was feeling. Perhaps she had come to apologise for before.

"Hmm?" Harriet looked at him, confused, and after realising what he was saying, gave a slight nod in acceptance. It was clear that her mind was still reeling with the events of what had happened earlier in Defense Class. She murmured a polite thank you as she graciously accepted the offered cup of tea.

Professor Lupin watched her taking a single sip and placing the teacup back on the desk. Her back was straight, and posture rigid, and she looked at him straight in the eye indicating that she was ready to talk about whatever that had been bugging her.

"Can I ask you something, Professor?" Harriet suddenly questioned, looking at him expectantly.

"Of course, Miss Potter, go ahead."

"Why did you not let me face the Boggart alone? Why did you come between us? You didn't do it with the other students, then why me?"

He smiled sadly at her; his heart clenching, feeling heavy with the realisation that Harriet wasn't an ordinary child - never had been since that ungrateful Samhain Night, when she'd lost her parents and her everything.

"My sincerest apologies if you felt offended because of my actions, Miss Potter. It wasn't my intention to make you feel weak or incompetent. I assure you that it was nothing but concern on my part." The way he spoke made him look exhausted and so tired with everything in his life, and Harriet immediately felt guilty. She hadn't intended for him to feel bad.

"I had actually thought that your Boggart would morph into the Dark Lord, knowing what history you share with him. But then, it turned into someone else and seeing the look of surprise on your face, I merely acted on instinct." Harriet's heart warmed at this. No adult in her life had acted so caring towards her, not even her own blood. Every adult she'd known has only taught her how manipulative they could be - only showing care when they needed something in return. Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Albus Dumbledore were prime examples of this. Yet, the man standing in front of her had tried to save her; Harriet's heart was filled with respect for Professor Lupin. _Maybe_, just maybe, she could discuss about her Boggart with him.

"Thank you, Professor, I really appreciate it. But you weren't exactly wrong in your assumption, to be honest," Harriet whispered, her mind flashing with the images of the Slytherin boy she'd known so well. Her thoughts were only stuck on Riddle's, no, Tom's face as her Boggart.

"I beg your pardon?" Remus asked as he looked at her with furrowed brows.

"He, my Boggart, is..._was_ Tom. Voldemort during his Hogwarts years." Remus's eyes widened at this. The boy he'd seen and encountered today was Voldemort? How was it possible though?

"I met him when the Chamber was opened last year," Harriet continued; she had a distant look in her eyes - one that scared Remus.

"But I do not fear him. I _couldn't_ fear him. I know this," Harriet spoke in a confused tone, because how could she be afraid of someone she'd known that closely. How was it possible for her to be frightened of Tom when she was the only one who understood him?

Remus was in deep thought, but a bit relieved that she had trusted him enough to tell him about her fears. He wouldn't disappoint her.

"The form a Boggart acquires does not necessarily mean that it is our greatest fear. Sometimes it also depicts what we fear of becoming in our lives. Maybe your Boggart was trying to convey the same message - your fear of _not _wanting to become someone like him?" Remus purposely avoided saying his name - Tom - it made that monster sound too human.

Harriet pondered over it; that could be possible. There was only one way to find it - after all everyone should learn to face their biggest fear. "I would like to see him," she whispered and Professor Lupin understood. As much as he wanted to deny her request, he couldn't help but be proud of her decision.

He led her towards the wardrobe where the Boggart was sitting quietly. Harriet nodded in his direction, her wand ready in her hand and waited with bated breath. The wardrobe suddenly started rattling loudly as soon as it realised of being freed again.

Harriet breathed in deeply, preparing herself for what problem she was about to face. Time ticked away painfully slow, but as soon as the Boggart took a definite shape, she felt drained of all her energy.

In front of her stood a smirking Tom Riddle in all his handsome glory. The warm brown eyes on the verge of craziness; his neat curls styled immaculately; his posture was rigid and too straight to be considered humanly. He looked just as she remembered - wearing the prestigious Slytherin robes and Prefect's badge pinned proudly to his chest. Harriet's eyes were locked solely on Tom's form - so much that she didn't see the concerned expressions of Professor Lupin.

"Harriet Potter, we meet again," Tom's silky voice rang in her ears, warm and hypnotising, just as it had always been; just like the one she'd tried to block from echoing in her ears every night. He strode towards her confidently, completely unfazed by the Professor observing them. Remus wanted to interfere but he was her Professor and it was his duty to let Harriet learn on her own - he would interrupt only when she needed him to.

"Tom," Harriet whispered, forgetting that there was someone else beside the two of them.

"I see you haven't forgotten me, _**dearest," **_he hissed the last word purposely, making Professor Lupin narrow his eyes at the Boggart. What was he playing at?

"_**It's nothing like that," **_Harriet replied completely out of instinct, and Remus was frozen to his spot. Yet, Harriet continued. _**"I could never forget you." **_She spoke the truth because she wanted Tom to know this.

"_**Liar!" **_In a flash, he was right in front of her, anger flaming like burning coal in his eyes, but Harriet didn't budge from her spot.

"I'm not lying," she insisted. Tom couldn't trust others too easily - his childhood experiences had restricted him to get close to anyone - much like Harriet's. But Harriet had Hermione and Ron to care for her now; Tom didn't have anyone. He'd learned to be cunning and manipulative a long time ago.

"_**Then why did you choose her over me? Why did you let me go, just to save her? Why did you kill me?" **_he questioned, and Harriet's heart constricted at the betrayal she could read in his eyes. _**"Did I mean nothing to you?" **_

"_**I did only what was right! I didn't want to hurt you, but you too lied to me," **_Harriet hissed defiantly, showing him that she didn't regret saving Ginny's life. He laughed at that - a cold-hearted, monstrous laugh that sent cold shivers run down her spine.

"_**Right? You think saving little Weasley girl over me, was right?" **_He looked at Remus then and questioned, "If Ginny Weasley's life was so important, why did the Headmaster not interfere? Why did he let two second-years risk their lives for another student? Is it not his responsibility to inform the parents about the monster lurking in the school corridors, and endangering their children's lives?"

"Tom," Harriet moved closer to him to get his attention; she knew that he was trying to provoke Professor Lupin against the Headmaster. Remus' mind too, was a mess now.

"_**What?! He left you at those filthy Muggle's doorstep, not me. He was the one who refused my requests to stay at Hogwarts for summer, and instead forced me to go back to that hell. He had the power to help me, but he didn't. How could I trust him then, hmm?"**_

"_**And I don't trust him either; you know that very well," **_Harriet looked right at him.

"_**And I didn't lie when I said that 'we' would rule the world," **_Tom insisted. _**"I was born for greatness - it's my right, my destiny, but you…" **_The Boggart wearing Tom's face lightly traced the lightning-bolt scar of her forehead - the proof that their destinies were intertwined together in ways no one could understand._** "The only thing great and unique about you, Harriet Potter, is me. The fact that my future-self chose you." **_He wore an expression of absolute fascination, as if in awe at the dreadful task his future self had achieved.

Professor Lupin was frozen to his spot; he couldn't understand how Harriet was able to speak in Parseltongue or why had Dumbledore hidden this fact from him. Did that mean that the younger version of the Dark Lord was telling the truth? Moreover, he did not have have the permission to just swoop in and put the Boggart where it belonged - Harriet's light hand signal to not interfere was the reason.

Harriet had understood what her fear was then. It wasn't Tom as she'd already known - it could never be him. Her greatest fear was to_ lose _Tom to the darkness that had been a major part of both of their lives. Her fear was to see him morph into a monster that would wreak havoc when unleashed. Her fear was to lose the man she'd learned to love and care for.

With shaky hands, she picked up her Holly wand and hissed, _**"Riddikulus!"**_

The Boggart's eyes widened at the sudden attack, and Harriet saw Tom torn to pieces just as he had in the Chamber.

"_**Harriet!" **_Tom roared, and then everything went silent. She could feel her heart being ripped apart to shreds upon losing him - killing him again.

She turned around, and without a single glance in Professor Lupin's direction, she left the room. Tears kept rolling out of her eyes as she hurried her way to the Chamber - the place where it all had started.

There was nothing left to lose now. She'd lost Tom a long time ago - lost him when he'd decided to become Lord Voldemort, and there was _nothing_ that she could have done.

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_Term 10 Assignment #6_

_Divination - Task #2 Head Line: Write about someone learning something_


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